8/6/2016 update

8/6/2016

The ninth biopsy was last Wednesday, August 3rd, and the result was 1A, the second best possible.  We are assured that this is fine.  Zero (No significant rejection) is best, followed by 1A (mild rejection), and 2A (mild to moderate rejection).  There are four other categories that require intervention, hospitalization.  The only change for this was an increase in Mycophenolate, an anti rejection drug that had been stopped due to the white blood cell count being low.  It had been restarted two weeks ago at a small dose. The white blood count was still in range so the Mycophenolate dose was doubled.  It is still a lower dose that the staff would like.  The low Mycophenolate dose could have contributed to the biopsy result.

Since the last update there have been several other  medicine changes.  A medication given for a specific virus (CMV) that affects the white blood count was stopped, but due to time.  It is usually given for three months and they kept me on it for 100 days.  These extra days were precautionary as my donor had antibodies for CMV, a common disease, and I did not have antibodies.  Meaning that he had the virus and I didn't so I am susceptible to catching it.  We are told that most get the disease and many do not know it,  but being immune suppressed, it would be serious for me. 

Prednisone was lowered again.  The dose now is only 5mgs daily.  The Lisinopril, blood pressure med, has been raised twice and is now 10mgs daily.  It will likely be raised again as the blood pressure remains borderline.  The anti-thrush medication, Clotrimazole, has been stopped. 

A nice thing:  Pills are now taken at breakfast, dinner and bedtime.  The lunch and dinner pills were combined and now are taken at dinnertime. 

This heart works well!!  I haven't had this much energy in years, maybe decades.  I had no idea I could do so much without tiring.  I did the 5k race on the 75th day post-op.  Next will be the American Heart Association fund raiser on October 15th, another 5K race.  But the biggie is the Seattle Marathon.  The UW Medical Center has what they call "Team Transplant" that works together to train transplant patients to finish a half marathon.  They have been doing it for a number of years and have a weekly schedule to build up endurance without injury.  I start Monday by walking 4 miles.  Tuesday is a cross training day and then another 4 mile walk on Wednesday.  Thursday is an off day, followed by  4 miles Friday.  These are all on my own.  The team meets on Saturday for a 6 mile walk twice around Green Lake. Each following week is a bit more demanding.

The next biopsy is on September 15th.  We will post another blog entry then.

John